#Fave: Summer Is Coming

#Fave: Summer Is Coming

June 7, 2016

#Fave: Summer Is Coming

We just turned around one day and suddenly it was summer! We’re still not sure how that happened. Maybe it’s because we’ve been hearing for a long time that winter is coming, but not so much about the other three seasons.

However, like a groundhog finally seeing its shadow after months of Game of Thrones reruns, we’re down with this weather. And we’re checking in on you, our dear PicMonkeyers, to see what’s been rocking your worlds lately, so that you can rock our worlds, like you do.

Whoa! What does PicMonkey have to do with haunting sculptures that illustrate the dangers of smoking?

Well, the headliner of this show is clearly the branching bouquet wrought by Instagrammer @be_little_but_fierce, but we play a guest-starring role! The image’s text was added using PicMonkey, turning what otherwise could have been a mixed message to your boyfriend into a powerful health statement.

We’re always learning about new ways that you guys use PicMonkey to make your lives, your businesses, and (dare we say) the world better. Justine Grey demonstrates on her affiliate marketing blog, where she’s posted a rocketship tutorial on using PicMonkey to edit product photography.

Here’s what’s extra cool about Justine’s post: it’s incredibly specific. It’s not just about product photos, but about editing product photos to send to retailers who will (hopefully) fall in love with your wares and decide to stock them. Justine lays out some simple edits, shows the before-and-after, and explains the benefits a business can see from submitting polished product shots.

Ah, summer. That special time of year when we smolder with envy towards those traveling to distant locales.

Well, the globe-trotters out there may be exploring ancient landmarks, sampling diverse cuisines, and getting hella toned and tan from all the walking, but at least y’all have the courtesy to take fabulous photos! We especially dig this shot of the world-famous Temple of Angkor Wat because it tells so many stories: stories of scale (look how high up that lady is), stories of the passage of time, and stories of travel (how classic is that guy reading a map beside his backpack and water bottle?). Well done!

If you don’t know by now, PicMonkeyers, we love coming along on all your adventures. No edit is too small for us! That’s why we love this photo: the focus is on the experience, with just a brief cameo from the ultimate party font, Budmo Jiggler. Here’s what photographer/blogger/mother/general wearer of hats Candice had to say about her image:

I spent the majority of my life growing up in New Mexico. Clovis NM to be exact – population with surrounding areas 35,000 right on the border of Texas making me a certified country bumpkin. One of my fav memories was the county fair – mile high curly fries, funnel cake, rodeos and began my love affair with fairs. I have been to the NM and TX State Fairs so I had to check out the Hawaii State Fair. My kiddos played human sizes hungry- hungry hippo, fed a mini llama at the petting zoo, rode bumper cars and played game after game and ended it with a candy apple. My kiddos left with smiles so I couldnt ask for anything more than that.

Next time invite us! We love candy apples. Do we love them as much as we love Budmo Jiggler? That’s the eternal question.

Behold, the power of textures! The ultra-artsy look of this portrait comes in part from the use of a Paint texture, partly from Instagram user Stephanie Brown’s genius idea to apply it over a nature scene.

Here at PicMonkey, we don’t really go in for labels … unless those labels are going on food. Then you can put us in a box all day long. (Provided the box contains donuts. Also: air holes.)

Luckily, that’s exactly the kind of label Kristina Bailey created for her kids’ teachers for Teacher Appreciation 2016. What is that scrumptious-looking popped corn in the jars, you ask? Kristina says: zebra chocolate popcorn from Kernel Corner.

For serious, when’s the last time you made your mother a card? Because this diligent PicMonkeyer made her mother a card and threw her a birthday party, so we can all consider the bar officially raised.

Let’s also take a moment to appreciate the typography on this card. With a monochrome palette, this jumble-tumble of fonts looks playful rather than busy, and—oh, hey. Is that Budmo Jiggler?

There’s so much to love about this food photography post from Simply Stacie. The triumph of taking a just-fine photo and making it phenomenal. The sheer guts of using Curves to do it (it’s not scary, we promise!). The above blog graphic, which is like, a textbook example of how to create engaging visual content. Are you digging that watermark like we’re digging the watermark?? It just makes us wanna sing.

You may have heard that the Pacific Northwest once played host to a group of real-life superheroes. Today, Gabby Goodwill (of Goodwill of Olympics and Rainier Region) dons the mantle, rising up to do battle against boring closets and understuffed wallets.

Gabby’s delightful energy and personality shine through in this comic strip she made to illustrate her adventures in thrift. If you need a new fashion blog to follow, look no further! And if you’re in need of some design inspiration, she can help with that too.

In other words, Gabby is the hero we deserve, at the prices we need right now.

Keep the photos coming, PicMonkey people! And if you, yes you, would like to see your name in lights (but are willing to settle for being featured on this blog), tag your creations with #picmonkey to make sure we can find you.

Elisa Chavez

Elisa Chavez is a content writer here at PicMonkey, where she hopes to change the world one dinosaur selfie at a time. She is also a nationally ranked slam poet, champion shopper, and doting dog mama.